Supply Chain Management in Fast Fashion Companies (Zara & H&M) Literature review

Supply Chain Management in Fast Fashion Companies (Zara & H&M) - Literature review Example Barnes and Lea-Greenwood's (2006) article on fast fashion and supply chain management has revealed significant information in regard to the so called fast fashion phenomenon. Their research on fast fashion and its relation to supply chain management have even caught the attention of well known fashion companies, enthusiasts and the business press. Although the concept is new in the fashion industry, the authors were able to explore widely and expound briefly the strategy that led Zara and H&M to where they are now. The authors have defined fast fashion as a form of business strategy that targets to lessen the number of processes that are undergone in a buying cycle and lead times to deliver new fashion products in stores. When this happens, customer satisfaction is met, and this satisfaction is being driven by the speed in delivering fashion products that are in line with the current trends. Fast fashion is a concept that is considered a "mainstay in UK's fashion industry" (Barnes & Lea-Greenwood, 2006). To modern fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M, fast fashion is a key strategy that has helped them attain success. The two well known fashion companies have adopted this strategy and have continuously changed their clothing styles and product ranges to adapt to what is "in" at any moment. Rapid changes are made attracting more buyers of apparels under the brands Zara and H&M. Furthermore, Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006) have inferred that fast fashion is associated with supply chain management. For instance, it has been proposed, in reference to the said perspective, that the framework of a fast fashion business is dependent to vertical integration. Vertical integration, according to Welters and Lillethun (2011), centralizes the supply chain allowing buyers to obtain goods in a short span of time and at an affordable price. In a fashion business, there is pressure in defeating the previous years' performance and this cycle is a usual scenario. In the modern times, success in retailing is being attributed to supply chains instead of companies (Hines, 2004 cited in Barnes and & Lea-Greenwood, 2006). On the other hand, the authors (Barnes & Lea-Greenwood, 2006) have contended that, in spite of being connected to supply chain management, fast fashion is not totally affiliated with the strategy. Findings of the study conducted by Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006) have identified fast fashion as a consumer-driven process. Many things were taken into serious consideration prior to arriving at this judgment. First, they were able to observe that, at present, individuality has already become the trend for the buyer's fashion demands. Most consumers want to set a trend, and this behavior increases the demand for fast fashion. Many designers consider quick access to the media as a means for the young consumers to gain knowledge in regard to the new fashion trends. Respondents of the survey conducted by the two authors have also conceded to their ju dgment and have stated that progress in fast fashion is being driven by the changing consumer demand making it a crucial aspect of fashion and fashion retailing. Hence, fast fashion is the answer to the changing consumer demand of modern times. Furthermore, the supply chain has to adjust for it to respond to inconstant consumer demands. The fast fashion business paradigm relies on the capacity of an individual to acquire and react positively to changes in consumer tastes. Responses to these changes in the fast fashion business model are quick since connections to fashion markets, and fashion makers are in proximity (Doeringer & Crean, 2006 cited in Welters &